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ItwouldneverhavehappenedifIhadn'tflunkedtheMathstestthatyear.Anotherone
chocablocwithsignerrors,andanother4outof10.Itwasthethirdtimeinmyteenageyears.
Thus,IhadtotakethechancetoasksomeofmySwedishfriendsthatsummer.Beingableto
spendeveryholidayabroadisapleasure,andgettingawayfromtheheatwavesinSpain,
pickingberries,sailing...weredefinitelyonmyplaylist.
Butthatshortnight,IwaslyinginbedatmySwedishNan'sandhuggingmysoftwhitepillows,
whiletryingtofallasleep.Nothingspecialwouldhappenthatweek,meantforreading,forcrafts,
andgardening,andmakingcakes,orsoitseemed.
Now,beforeIresume,thereissomethingyououghttoknow.BehindmySwedishNan'schlet
thereisahighandsomewhatsteephill,withheathlandandwoodlandandevenalittlelakeatthe
top.EversinceIspentmyfirstholidaythereat7,Ihadoftenheardthewarninggivento
generationsofDermarkchildren:"Nevergouptothelakeonyourown!"AndIhadfaithfullypaid
heedtothatwarning.
IwasthinkingofnothingmorethanthepleasuresIhadalreadyexperiencedweeksbefore,when
suddenlyarayofmoonlightsneakedpastthecurtains,andthenIwokeup,startled,tofinda
youngboywithdragonflywings,astallasmyarms,sittingonthepileofbooks(toppedby
Andersen)onmybedsidetable,beneathmyreadinglamp.
Inearedby,headdressedme.Howdidheknowmyname?Hepickedupthewatchfromthe
floor,andputitinmyhands.Iturnedthelighton.Itwasfiveminutestomidnight.Thepixieboy
wasturningpaleandstaggeringasifheweredrunk.Ashefainted,Itookhiswarmforminmy
armsandtuckedhimintobedlikearagdoll.Hewascopperhaired,dressedinascarletdoublet
ofrosepetals,buttherestofhisclothes,andthehoodofhisdoublet,weremadeofgreenreeds.
Oncehehadbeentuckedintobedbymyside,hiseyelidsfluttered,arosycolourreturnedtohis
freckledcheeks,andhewokeup,revealingeyesdarkgreenaspineneedles.Hewascomingto.
"Carrymeawayfromhere,bringmetothelilac..."Hisvoicewassweetandmusical,morethan
anyhumanchild's."I'mweak,I'mdying..."
Cradlingtheyoungpixieinmyarms,Iputonmynightgowninhasteandranoutintothegarden.
Wesatbeneaththelilactree.Theskywasasrifewithstarsasourcheekswerewithfreckles,
andthebrightfullmoonwatchedoverthem,andoverus,likealovingmotherhen.
"Thankyou...yousavedmylife...therewascoldsteelinthere,soclosetoyou..."Ithoughtofmy
readinglamp.Coldsteelmakesfairiesweak.Iwrappedmyselfinmynightgownandlookedat
mynewfriend.Nowheskippeduponhisfeet."Ihaven'tintroducedmyself!Ihavemanynames,
butmostpeoplecallmeRobin",hesaid,asheputhisgreenhoodonandclimbedontothelilac
tree.
"I'mnotgoodatclimbing",Iexplained."Then,clingtoalowbranchastightasyoucan!"
IdidasRobinhadtoldme.And,voil,thelilactreestartedtogrowatlightningspeed,justlike
Jack'sbeanstalk!Withinfiveseconds,ithadgrownastallasourhill,soonecouldeasilyjump
fromourleafyandfloweringseattotheshoreofthelake,aliquidmirror,withaframeoflilypads,
forthemoonandstars.
Weremainedperchedonthebranches,asIlistenedtoRobin'sstories."Youknow,you'restilla
childatheart.Notmanyhavethepleasureoflisteningtomystories".Weleaptontothehill,and
then,Robinstartedtotellafamiliarstory:
"Oncethereweretworoyalbrothers.And,whiletheeldestwenttowarinforeignlands,andwas
finallykilledattheendofthesewars,theyoungeronestolehiscrown.Hegotdrunkonpower
andoppressedthecommonpeople...Nowthefairyking,Oberon,sawthemortalking,John,
becomeamercilessdespot...andhesentme,hismostfaithfulservant,toaidthepeasants.I
recruitedafewrebels,wesetupatreefortintheforestsofSherwood,westolefromthenobles
andgavetoourfellowpeasants.Therewasalsoacourtladyinourmerryband,anorphanleftto
dieinthewoodsbyherguardians...HernamewasMaryAnne,orMarian,Ican'tremember
exactly.ButIhadtolethergo.Forabetterrulercame,andthepeasantswerewellfedonce
more,andMarianwentbacktotheroyalcourttomarrythenewkingorbecomeoneofhis
queen'sladies.Thepeoplestillrememberme,ahero,afreedomfighter,RobinGoodfellowinthe
legendaryHood.Butatricksterhero,wholoveschaos,whoenjoysplayingpranks..."
"Pranks?SodidI,beforegoingtohighschool!"
"Youshouldhaveseenme.Foronlychildrenatheartcanseeme.I'ddanceapolkainsidea
butterchurnandlistentothemilkmaid'scursesonthecream.Intheend,she'dhavewhipped
creaminthereasIflewout!Ortrickthecoppervatsinthebrewery(allofourutensilsaremade
ofcopper)andspoilthegoodlads'beer!And,oncethebeerwasservedthatevening,I'dturn
intoacrab,slipintoatankard,andpinchanyfellowwho'ddrinkitinthenose!Orwhenanold
nanistellinghergrandchildrentalesbythefireside...offgoesthechair,downgoesthenan,
everyoneislaughing!Alas!!Ican'tdoanythinglikethatanymore!Formortalsnowadayshave
coldsteelvatsforbeer,coldsteelchurnsforbutter,coldsteelboxesinsteadofgrandmothersto
gethitchedonstories...andcoldsteelchairstowatchthepicturesonthoseboxes...The
numberofpranksIcanplayhas,honestly,dwindled.ButnothingcanbecomparedtotheprankI
playedonTheirMajestiesontheirweddinganniversary!"
"Aroyalprank?Soundsinteresting!"Weweresittingonamossyrockbythelake.Afterall,itwas
thewitchinghour,andIwasnotonmyown.
"PictureyourselfinthewoodsofArden,onashortandquietsummernightlikethis.KingOberon
andQueenTitania.Bothofthemtall,blond,beautiful,withpointyearsandbrittlewings.Having
anargumentoverthecake.AndIwascloseby,listening.HerMajestyhadforgottenHis
Majesty'sanniversary.Buthehadn't.AndhewantedJamieasaspecialgift.NowJamiewasa
changelingfromoneofthenearbyvillages:aravenhairedlittlemortalboywhosufferedthe
misfortuneoflosingbothhisparents.TheQueenherselfwhiskedhimawayfromanabusive
stepmotherandputPeasblossom'syoungsoninthecottagecradle.Soshekepthimasavalet
ofsorts,andtheKingwantedhimforabodyguard.Bythetimethisstoryisset,suchabickering
wouldmeanadeclarationofwar.QueenMotherMab,responsibleforthemortalchildrenwe
rear,haddeclaredherselfneutral.Theroyalsweregoingtobreakup.AndIcouldn'tpartakein
thefeastwithsuchathreatahead!Nowthereisthisflower(here,Robintooksomewildpansies)
calledloveinidleness.Youspraythenectaronasleepingperson'sorfay'seyelidsand...voil!
Loveatfirstsightensues.Ihadseensomemortalsnotfarfromcourt,anactortroupeinfact,
andtheshyleadgoingtoessayhislinesawayfromtheothers.Ifoundtheactorsleepingona
mossyrock,likethis,andmyqueensleepinginherriverbankbower,decoratedwithallthe
flowersoftheNorthernsummer.Afewdropsofloveinidlenesshereandthere,andadonkey's
headspellgiventoNickinamoonflowercup,andsoonIwaswatchingfromatopafirlikethis
one...abeautyandabeastmadwithloveateachother,yetunawareofit!Soon,Nickhadthe
Queen'sladiesandmaidsathiseverybeckandcall:Peasblossommassaginghimbetween
thoselongears,Cobwebtakinguphoneyfromahollowhivetreeinacorncups,MustardSeed
shavingthosefurrycheekswithacopperrazor...andQueenTitaniafondlingandkissingher
lover,whorespondedwithlovelycaresses.Inthelightofthefullmoonandthefireflies,asquirrel
broughtthemsomehazelnutstodunkintheirhoney.Andtheyfinallyfellasleeptogether.Asthe
Kingchancedtopassbyandtakehishandtothehiltofhissword.Iwoketheloversupandthe
effectofthespellsfadedaway.Nick,withahumanheadoncemore,setofftoencountertherest
ofthetroupe,asTheirMajestiesreconciliatedandthankedmeforthetrickthathadsavedtheir
relationship".
"Ilikebeingapeacemaker.Ican'tstandfighting".
"Well,"Robinsaid,"youmortalsareworsepeacemakersthanwefayare.Therewasthisyoung
ladyinthisoutpost...shewasbeautiful,shewasclever,shewasgiftedintheartslikeyou.And
shewasmarriedtothisgreatgeneralwhowouldgivehislifeforhersake.Nowtherewasone
lieutenantherage,achildhoodfriendofhersandequallycleveranddashing.Andthislieutenant
waspunishedforgettingdrunkonduty.SoheaskedHerLadyshiptomakepeace,tobridgethe
riftbetweenthegeneralandthisirresponsiblelieutenant.Andsheputallofherpassioninto
defendinghiscauseaswellasanylawyer.Nowshelostashawlwhichherlordhadgivenher,
andthelieutenantfounditinoneorotherway.Sothegeneralthoughthisladywasunfaithful...
andthus,ledbythewhispersofhisdeceptiveaide,hestrangledherinbedonasummer'snight
likethis,withanequallyfullmoon.Thelieutenantsurvived,butheleftthearmytobecomea
lecturer,forhehadbrokenhisleftleginafightwiththeaide'scronies.Theaideliterallylosthis
head,andthegeneral'sheartbrokeapart,piercedbycoldsteel,withfourtearsofregretandone
lastkissfromhislatebeloved."
"Poorfolks!Itmakesmesad,thattherearewickedpeoplehereaswell!"Wehadleftourmossy
rocktositoncemoreonourlilacthrone,beforeIreturnedbackhome.
"Yes,mortalscanberatherwicked!Buttherearegoodonesaswell.Iknewonewhocoulddo
magiclikeus,andhedidn'tgetdrunkonpower!Helivedwithalittlegirl,asprite,andamonster
(thetwolatterwereslavesofhis)onarainforestislesomewhereinavastocean.Themortals
weretheonlysurvivorsofashipwreck.Andanothershipwreckdidtheycause,tosinktheroyal
flagshipoftheirhomekingdom(forthewizandthegirlhadbeendrivenawaybycourtlyintrigue
andwartotheNewWorld).Theyhadtheheirtothethroneandhiscrownedfatherwashupon
oppositeshoresandthinkeachotherwasdead.Andthen,theyensuredeveryonereunitedina
rainforestcave.Theroyalfamilyjoinedinonepassionateembrace,andthegirlwasdoubtlessly
acceptedastheoldking'sdaughterinlaw,forshewasadethronedprincess.Soallthreesailed
tocourtinaraft,whichallofthecastawayshadmadetogether.Theoldwizfreedthespriteand
themonster,relativesofmine,andthenhecasthiswandintotheoceanfromacliffandburied
hissorcerybooksinanoakenchest.OnlyArielandCaliban,myspriteandmonsterfriends,
knowthelocationofthathiddentreasure,thatinspiredgenerationsofpiratesthroughthree
centuries,buthasnotbeenfoundyet".
Thelilactreewasslowlyshrinking.Ithoughtofmystorybooksandasked:"DoIhaveastashof
treasure?"
"Youhaveoneindeed",RobinrepliedasIlandedandlookedsorrowfullyathim.
"It'stimeformetogotobed.Aftersomuchfuntogether!"
"Thisisnotthefarewell",herepliedwithaCheshireCatgrin."Justmakeawishformeevery
nightyoufeelbored,takemeawayfromcoldsteel,andI'llbringyoumoreofmystories".Then,
liketheCheshireCat,Robingraduallyfadedaway,hiseyesandgrinbeingthelastofhimIsaw
thatnight.
Thenextmorning,Iwokeupatmidday.Atfirst,Ithoughtitallwasadream...butIhadgoneto
bedinadewynightgown,andtherewerelittlehumanfootprintsonmyAndersenstorybook.
Comewhatmay,Iwillneverforgetthatmidnightsummerdream.